In various settings, individuals may desire to channel water from a water source, such as a well, faucet, or the like, to an outdoor location while the ambient temperature is below freezing. For example, a farmer may use a hose to supply water to a stock tank in order to provide drinking water for livestock. As another example, a hose may be used to refill water tanks in a recreational vehicle. Any water that remains within an idle hose and exposed to freezing temperatures will likely freeze, thereby forming a barrier within the hose, or even damaging the hose, such as through bursting or splitting. Even if water is not present within the idle hose, the hose typically becomes stiff and unwieldy when exposed to freezing conditions.
In order to prevent hoses from freezing or becoming difficult to handle, heated garden hoses have been developed. For example, a known heated hose includes a flexible hose having a heating cable within an internal water channel. The heating cable connects to source of power through an unheated pipe section.
Another known heated hose includes a heating element extending along the length of the hose. As yet another example, a heated hose includes a heated conduit system in which part of the system employs a heating element positioned between inner and outer tubes of a flexible hose. Still another known heated hose includes heat tape between inner and outer tubes of the hose. Another example of a known heated hose includes a ground wire running through a hose.
In general, various known heated hoses apply heat to a flexible hose in order to either heat the fluid passing through the hose, or prevent it from freezing. However, typical heated hoses are susceptible to freezing at either end due to unheated metal couplings. As such, water may freeze within or proximate to the metal couplings, thereby forming ice plugs that prevent water from passing. Indeed, the ice formed within or proximate to the metal couplings may damage the flexible hose or even the metal couplings.